Brad Feld

Brad Feld – Life, Career, and Insightful Quotes

Explore the entrepreneurial journey of Brad Feld (born December 1, 1965), American venture capitalist, author, startup ecosystem builder, and thought leader. Learn about his early ventures, philosophy, books, influence, and memorable quotes.

Introduction

Brad Feld is a prominent figure in the worlds of startups, venture capital, and entrepreneurship. He is perhaps best known as a co-founder of Foundry Group, as well as for his commitment to building startup communities, authoring influential books and blogs, and advocating for a philosophy he calls “Give First.” Feld’s career weaves together startup founding, investing, ecosystem building, writing, and mentorship.

Below is a detailed look at his life, career, ideas, and legacy.

Early Life & Education

Brad Feld was born on December 1, 1965.

He was raised in Dallas, Texas, and later moved to Arkansas during his youth.

For higher education, Feld attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he studied Management Science and earned both a Bachelor of Science (SB) and Master of Science (SM).

During his time at MIT, he founded his first company, Feld Technologies, which marked his initiation into entrepreneurship.

Entrepreneurial & Investment Career

Feld Technologies & Early Ventures

While still a student, Feld launched Feld Technologies, a software services company targeting small and medium business clients.

In 1993, Feld Technologies was acquired by AmeriData, at which point Feld became the chief technology officer for the acquiring company.

He later involved himself in Interliant, an application service and hosting provider during the dot-com era. Interliant eventually failed in 2002 in the aftermath of the dot-com bust—a failure which Feld openly reflects on, using it as a learning case.

Venture Capital & Founding of Key Firms

Feld’s shift into venture capital became a defining part of his career.

• He co-founded Mobius Venture Capital and Intensity Ventures (among others) before his more lasting ventures.

• In 2006, Feld co-founded Techstars, one of the world’s leading startup accelerators.

• In 2007, Feld helped establish Foundry Group, alongside partners such as Seth Levine, Jason Mendelson, and Ryan McIntyre. Foundry Group focuses on early-stage investments in software, Internet, and tech-enabled companies.

• Over time, Foundry has raised multiple funds (e.g. $225 million early-stage funds) and a “Select Fund” to support later stage investments of its portfolio.

Through these roles, Feld has backed companies such as Harmonix, Zynga, MakerBot, and Fitbit.

Blogging, Writing & Thought Leadership

Since 2004, Feld has authored the blog Feld Thoughts, where he shares reflections on venture capital, startups, community building, leadership, personal growth, and more.

He’s also co-written numerous books in the startup and venture capital genre, including:

• Do More Faster: TechStars Lessons to Accelerate Your Startup (with David Cohen)

• Venture Deals: Be Smarter Than Your Lawyer and Venture Capitalist (with Jason Mendelson)

• Startup Communities: Building an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Your City

• Give First: A New Philosophy for Business in the Era of Entrepreneurship

• The Startup Community Way: Evolving an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem (with Ian Hathaway)

His writing and mentorship have made him a respected voice in the startup community globally.

Philanthropy, Community & Other Roles

• Feld, together with his wife Amy Batchelor, runs the Anchor Point Foundation.

• He is active in supporting startup ecosystem programs, mentorship, and building communities.

• He has served on nonprofit boards such as Startup Colorado, the National Center for Women & Information Technology, and Global EIR Program.

• In recognition of his contributions to innovation in Colorado, Feld received the 2017 Colorado Governor’s Citizenship Medal for Growth & Innovation.

Key Themes, Philosophy & Influence

“Give First” & Generosity

One of Feld’s central philosophies is “Give First”—the idea that in building relationships, communities, and networks, one should lead by offering help, resources, mentorship, and value before expecting anything in return.

This philosophy has influenced how many founders and ecosystem builders approach collaboration, trust, and community over transactional relationships.

Long-Term, Systems Thinking

Feld often frames entrepreneurship, investing, and community-building as long-term games, not quick wins. He is known to reject short-term, hype-driven thinking, and instead emphasizes systems, sustainability, and durable networks.

In an interview, he is described as a systems thinker who treats business almost as a philosophical practice.

Community Over Competition

Feld strongly advocates for collaborative, inclusive startup ecosystems rather than zero-sum thinking. One of his quotes captures this:

“Building a startup community is not a zero-sum game … if everyone engages, they and the entire community can all be winners.”

He argues that focusing on interactions and relationships between ecosystem components is often more important than focusing solely on components themselves.

Other recurring themes in his thinking include resilience in failure, diversity, adaptability, and valuing trust in leadership.

Memorable Quotes by Brad Feld

Here are several notable quotes that reflect Feld’s insights and mindset:

“Failure is a key part of entrepreneurship, but, as with many things in life, attitude impacts outcome.” “Building a startup community is not a zero-sum game in which there are winners and losers: if everyone engages, they and the entire community can all be winners.” “While the range of people, organizations, resources, and conditions in an entrepreneurial ecosystem are useful to understand, they are not the most critical construct. Instead, the interaction between each of the components is what matters.” “The first thing that any city that’s trying to create a startup community… should do is get rid of the idea that they’re trying to be like Silicon Valley.” “I’m always fascinated by the dedicated monitors in a hospital. Non-standard cables, funny button shapes, odd LED colors, and lots of extra controls.”

These quotes hint at his curiosity, humility, and the blend of technical, systems, and human thinking in his outlook.

Lessons & Takeaways

From Brad Feld’s life and work, several lessons emerge:

1. Lead by giving. The Give First mindset encourages generosity and trust as foundational business principles.

2. Think in systems and time horizons. Building sustainable organizations and communities often requires vision beyond quarterly metrics.

3. Failures are data. Feld’s own failures (e.g. Interliant) are not hidden but integrated into his public narrative of growth and learning.

4. Communities thrive on relationships. Emphasizing networks, interaction, and collaboration is often more powerful than siloed competition.

5. Diversity and inclusion matter. His advocacy for underrepresented founders and inclusive ecosystems is not peripheral but integral to healthy startup communities.

6. Balance momentum and pace. In the long game of entrepreneurship, endurance, adaptability, and rest are as important as speed.

Conclusion

Brad Feld is not only a successful venture capitalist and entrepreneur but a thought leader whose ideas have shaped how many people conceive of startup communities, mentorship, and ecosystem-building. Born in 1965, his journey from founding a software startup at MIT to co-founding major venture firms and writing influential books is punctuated by curiosity, generosity, and systems thinking.

If you’d like, I can also assemble a detailed timeline of Feld’s major investments, books, and community initiatives—or analyze Give First or Venture Deals in depth. Do you want me to do that?